The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover after the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
